How to Get Into Fashion Design with Partial Qualifications?

Question

A dear friend has a dream of being a fashion designer. She completed a teaching degree and then went on to do a couple of years of some sort of design qualification but had to stop for personal reasons. Is there something she can do to get a foot in the door somewhere and progress towards her dream? I'm an engineer and don't really have any idea about the fashion business.

Still, the classic problem of not being able to get a job without experience but you can't get experience without having been in a job for a while is stopping her from getting a start. Unusually(?), she can't stand the concept of working in retail (for example, a dress shop), although I've suggested that might be helpful.

Is going back to uni a prerequisite? Is there a way she could do something part-time and not take 10 years to get somewhere?

I think she'd appreciate any sort of insights or suggestions.

Thanks.

Answer 1

The fashion designer is entreprenuerial at heart. If she had more credentials it would be easier for her to get funding to launch a line, however all is not lost.

Tell your friend to sketch her desired collection and then create sample garments of as many as she can afford - at least one complete outfit. She can use this to try to get artist's grants or venture loans. If she has talent, she can leverage this into funding. If you know someone who is photogenic, take photographs of her wearing the designs. Again, use this to try to get funding. When all else fails, she should ask friend and family for loans. You can launch a line for $10,000 start up costs and some ingenuity.

You do not need a degree in design. You need real sewing skills and talent. If she has this, I would tell her to give it her all. Even if her first collection flops, sometimes a more successful fashion house will hire you if they see promise in your first collection.

Answer 2

My boss is one of the famous fashion designers here in the Phils. Ive been w/ her for 8 yrs & as i heard from her & believed so, a good fashion designer must know how to do the pattern & know how to sew. Does your friend knows? Fashion designing is not only doing sketches of clothes but also knowing the fits & fabric characteristics & plus factors of knowing what fit & what not fit in every shapes/curves of each person.
Where does your friend wants to go further? The experience she needs is translating her designs to clothes. Maybe working in a dresshop first can help.

Answer 3

Hi, i think there only one chance to start designers career if you have no experience and no degree. You have to get noticed by other designers and get into group of some of them. I think you know that names like Armani and similar is not one designer, its a group of talented designers. Of course at the beginning you will not get in that high class, but there are lots of smaller groups.
She could try to create amateur designers portfolio in websites like jurgita.com where a big designer community is gathered. She could makes some contacts there, show her works. If she is good some of professionals will notice. Its a chance to start. Also there is designer forum for public conversations about design..
Just dont give up if its your dream :)
Good luck

Answer 4

i will so sympathise with you. I had additionally gotten admitted right into a fashion college, yet my mum and dad does not enable me bypass. What i could recommend to you is that verify that's what you prefer to do. take it slow to choose your targets. think of in terms of the clever component too and remember that despite field you opt for, stressful paintings is the only thank you to prevail. verify designing is a few thing you're rather smitten by and that the enthusiasm will proceed long after the preliminary exhilaration and glam of being in a fashion college dies down. sturdy success